Magnet and Steel

53

July 16, 2012

Stevie was excited going back to work, partially because she was bringing her baby with her. Today there were meeting with a man named Oliver and his wife Melissa who had gotten onto the show after they welcomed their daughter named Charlotte. They had looked for a year before  he settled on a house without her opinion and knowledge.  She was away on business when he bought the house. 

Stevie was sitting in the passenger seat of her car when Lindsey opened the door and plopped into his seat. 

"Coffee." He hands her a cup. 

"Huh, you do love me." She states. The hand that didn't have the coffee in it was holding her list and he snatched it out of her hand. 

"Fair-trade."

"Fair-Trade Coffee?" She asks.

"Exactly, how's Savannah?" Lindsey asks.

"Sleeping like a rock." She peers back into the backseat at the little baby carseat. 

"Alright so let's take a look at your list....The homeowners want you to expand the front entryway, add and improve lighting, create an open kitchen, move laundry out of the basement, finish the basement, add an office, family room, and a bathroom...you my dear have your work cut out for you."

"Yeah it's sizable but I've handled worse...let's see yours," She plucks it out of his inside suit pocket. "You need to find them a house with 4 bedrooms, at least 2 bathrooms, an office, an open concept eat-in kitchen, a finished basement and the same neighborhood...Honey this is our neighborhood and our house was expensive so I hope to God that they give you a decent budget." 

***

When they walk into the house Stevie has Savannah strapped to her front and Lindsey looks around, 'I'm glad you're not wearing a coat because there's no where to hang it so we might as well throw it on the ground." 

"You never, ever...throw my coats on the ground." She warns as they make their way further into the house. 

"Oh this is sweet I like it." Stevie coos.

"Sweet, it's cramped, I mean it's like a cave." Lindsey points out.

"Let's go...oh now this is really sweet." 

"That is the second time you've used sweet. Steph there's toys everywhere, it's closed off, they have oversized furniture. How is this sweet." 

'Oversized furniture is fine. I like it..." She shrugs. 

When they make it into the kitchen Stevie shrugs. 

"It's a nice kitchen..." She shrugs but she can see him out of the corner of her eye.

"Yes what is it?" 

"There's an area over there that I can see that they're trying to make it an eat-in but it's only for two and there's three of them." 

"all they want me to do is open it up.It's just a wall." 

"Still a big issue..." He opens the basement door. "Let me go first."

"Holy Crap these are steep...come on." He turns around and holds his arms out as her heels click click  click on the stairs and she does literally plow right into his arms. 

"Oh my God, Oh it smells terrible down here." She groans. 

"You're not kidding about that..." Lindsey shakes his head.

"Oh it only gets worse." She shakes her head rubbing at her baby's back.

"It is getting worse, I can almost taste it." Lindsey nods. "And look at that, would you come down here to do laundry." 

"No, No I wouldn't." 

***

Once they've completed the house tour, they meet up with the homeowners and after they swoon at the baby, they jump right into it. 

"Okay so I've done an evaluation on your home. The current value is 640,000 dollars. On the lower end of the spectrum for this area." 

"Yeah but it sounds higher than I thought." Oliver shrugs.

"Well I like the sound of that...what's your budget?" 

"700,000 dollars." Oliver nods.

"Okay, well 700 is tight for where you guys are."

"We just want a house that functions for us and we think you can do that for us Lindsey." Melissa smiles.

"Okay, well over to you honey." Lindsey looks at Stevie before he plucks the baby out of the carrier and cradles her to himself. She was only six weeks old, but he was wrapped around her finger.

"I'm going to try to make your house function." Stevie nods.

"Hold on Stevie...I was wondering if you could fix the stairs going upstairs too." Oliver looks at her

"Well hold on that's expensive...and very last minute...but how much money do I have to spend?" 

"80,000 dollars and not a penny more." 

"Well that's going to be tight but I'm going to work my magic and I'll believe that I can get you to stay in your house." 

"Actually no, you guys are going to go...I can get you so much better." Lindsey points out. 

***

Once the two families separate and Lindsey and Stevie go to their own offices Stevie starts looking at the blue prints. 

"What are you looking at?" Karen asks.

"The blueprints for our current build." She sighs.

"You're starting not to get happy about this job." Karen looks at her.

"No, it's not that...well it kinda is. It's great because the boys are in school and I'm making a lot of money so they never have to want for anything, but it's hard you know...I missed out on so much when they were babies and now with Savannah, I don't know...I just don't know." Stevie shrugs. 

"You can stop you know." Karen looks at her.

"I know I can...but I don't want to do that to Lindsey and I'm signed on for  what five more years...something like that. This is the biggest show on TV right now, and I would be so stupid if I walked away right now." Stevie shrugs. 

"At the end of the day, you have to do what is going to be right for your family...maybe you could sit down with Lindsey and talk it through to him. When you're not having fun at your job anymore, it's time to move on." Karen crosses her arms.

"I know...I'll figure it out..." Stevie nods.